Environmental Policy Change Advocacy Essay for CM220M4 Module

This essay advocates for changes in environmental policy to address the pressing issues of pollution and climate change, emphasizing the detrimental effects on both human health and the environment. The author argues for policy adjustments to mitigate the negative impacts of industrial plants, vehicles, and the increased use of fertilizers. The essay highlights the role of fossil fuels in elevating atmospheric carbon dioxide levels, leading to adverse health complications and climate change. It proposes solutions such as monitoring factory emissions, fostering awareness among community members, and encouraging the adoption of sustainable transportation methods. The author stresses the importance of reducing carbon emissions and waste materials, promoting a shift towards eco-friendly practices, and implementing stringent measures to curb pollution. By advocating for these changes, the essay aims to protect future generations from the consequences of environmental degradation and establish a platform for other communities to follow suit. The essay integrates evidence from multiple credible sources to support its arguments and addresses potential challenges to its proposed solutions.

Running head: ADVOCACY 1
Advocacy
Name
Institutional Affiliation
Date

ADVOCACY 2
Advocating Change in the Environmental Policy
Introduction
Pollution is a compelling issue that not only has devastating effects on the environment
and human health but also one of the key drivers of climate change. The effects of pollution have
been highlighted on numerous cases through studies, seminars, conferences, and even taught in
schools. Despite the fact that many people are taught or informed on the implications of polluting
the environment, there is little effort particularly at the grassroots level to curb this practice that
notable for causing havoc on the environment and on the health of human beings.
Therefore, the purpose of this essay to advocate for a change in the environmental policy
that would help address the problem posed by the growing number of industrial plants and
vehicles that are responsible for the increased release of toxic gases and waste materials into the
environment. Moreover, this particular community has experienced an increase in the use of
vehicles and fertilizers, which are both dangerous to the environment. The implementation of the
recommendations posed in this paper will help reduce and curb this growing problem for the
benefit future generations.
Discussion
Pollution and climate change are close terms that are characterized by negative
implications that cause havoc on human health and destroys the natural habitats of the wild
habitats. Existing evidence report that the use of fossil fuel is known to have increased the
atmospheric carbon dioxide levels leading to changes from around mid-20th century up to date
(Smith & Bond, 2014). The consequences of human activities have been rampant over the last
century with the cases multiplying in the current century. For instance, the documented
devastating effects of the gases and chemical released into the environment is associated with

ADVOCACY 3
adverse health complications that includes severe respiratory problems, lung cancer, threat to
extinction of certain wildlife animals, and high likelihood of eliminating the aquatic life (Abdel-
Shafy & Mansour, 2016; Hansen et al., 2013; Udeigwe et al., 2015). These problems are coupled
with global warming and climate change challenges that will impact the next generations.
Therefore, when this problem is not resolved at the community level, then many people will
suffer for lack of advocacy on similar cases in other communities and even countries.
In addition to the challenge of the growing emissions of carbon dioxide in the air, there
are no substantive measures adopted to curb or help manage this issue. In addition to the
complexities caused on humans and the environment evidenced with acidic rain, carbon dioxide
released by the growing number of factories has been proven to be the climate’s worst foe. This
problem coupled when coal and other fossil fuels are used for energy production. This is the
same energy that humans use for cars and phones, so it cannot be dismissed or rendered entirely
useless. Therefore, the initial the goal of is to reduce (not wholly get rid of) the amount of carbon
dioxide that is released into the atmosphere in the quest to reduce global warming (Houghton,
2007; Jacobson, 2009). The rising healthcare burden, therefore, elicits for the need to adopt
measures that will help monitor the gases that these emerging factories release into the air with
the supposedly waste released without proper treatment.
The proposed changes on the current environmental policy should provide clauses that
ascertain the assessment of the operation of these factories. These factories will be required to
file reports on the various mitigations plans that they have adopted for protecting community
members living in the locality. The environmentalists in the area should take the initiative and
guide the corporations on addressing pollution issues, for instance, researching and embracing
new technologies to contain the gases and waste materials they release into the environment.

ADVOCACY 4
Failure to adopt suggested measures of cutting down the emission of gases and waste materials
or retreating them should be met with stringent measures.
In addition to fostering and ensuring these companies adhere to the principles of the
proposed and amended environmental policy, there is the need to create awareness that will
ensure all the people in the community become responsible. Transportation is one of the leading
sources of carbon emission and citizens should, therefore, work towards reducing the amount of
this gas emitted into the air by seeking alternative methods of transport. In this regard, switching
from private means to mass transit is one of the best solutions. Secondly, moving closer to one’s
working place might sound dramatic but very achievable where they can also choose cycling to
reduce the number of vehicles releasing carbon into the air (Lomborg, 2010; Xia et al., 2015).
Shoppers should be encouraged to think green while shopping for stuff, and it is important to
consider purchasing goods that will last more to reduce the number of substances disposed of.
For instance, while buying a car, it advisable that one gets a motor that will last longest and one
that has the least impact on the environment. A thorough campaign with a strong campaign
message should be coined informing the public that they also have a role to play in ensuring that
climate change does not go any further
Conclusion
Conclusively, despite having listed down the above solutions, many questions
challenging their effectiveness are likely to arise. The world is operating on a harsh economy,
and there is a need for speed purposely to address these issues. Similarly, all the solutions
mentioned in the pretext are environment-friendly; but at the same time, they are bound to have
economic implications. Therefore, advocating for these changes will enable the factories and the
community members to cut down and minimize the amount of gases and waste materials

ADVOCACY 5
released into the environment. The advocacy campaign will create a platform for other
communities in the region to follow suit an aspect that will help reduce the implication caused by
the environment.

ADVOCACY 6
References
Abdel-Shafy, H. I., & Mansour, M. S. (2016). A review on polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons:
source, environmental impact, effect on human health and remediation. Egyptian Journal
of Petroleum, 25(1), 107-123.
Hansen, J., Kharecha, P., Sato, M., Masson-Delmotte, V., Ackerman, F., Beerling, D. J., ... &
Rockstrom, J. (2013). Assessing “dangerous climate change”: required reduction of
carbon emissions to protect young people, future generations and nature. PloS one, 8(12),
e81648.
Houghton, J. (2007). Global Warming: the complete briefing. Cambridge: Cambridge University
Press.
Jacobson, M. Z. (2009). Review of solutions to global warming, air pollution, and energy
security. Energy & Environmental Science. California: Stanford University.
Lomborg, B (2010). Smart solutions to climate change: comparing costs and benefits.
Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.
Smith, S. J., & Bond, T. C. (2014). Two hundred fifty years of aerosols and climate: the end of
the age of aerosols. Atmospheric Chemistry and Physics, 14(2), 537-549.
Udeigwe, T. K., Teboh, J. M., Eze, P. N., Stietiya, M. H., Kumar, V., Hendrix, J., ... & Kandakji,
T. (2015). Implications of leading crop production practices on environmental quality and
human health. Journal of environmental management, 151, 267-279.
Xia, T., Nitschke, M., Zhang, Y., Shah, P., Crabb, S., & Hansen, A. (2015). Traffic-related air
pollution and health co-benefits of alternative transport in Adelaide, South
Australia. Environment International, 74, 281-290.